Found deep within the darkest mines, hidden amongst the trees of forbidden forests, or lurking within the secret crags of mountainous terrain…
We be goblins!
Oh $#*!, did I just say that? My bad…that’s actually a Pathfinder module. But, a DM who’s a thinker could probably homebrew that for 5e.
Maybe I should say, “Careful, goblins!” instead (that’s just some pawn chatter).
I love goblins in D&D!
And while they may seem underwhelming to some, I’ve used them in my games with deadly results (does it make me a bad DM if I tell you I TPKed my party with goblins?).
I’ve also played a goblin lineage as a PC, and that can be fun too. Because goblins are small creatures, they can ride a mount that’s medium-sized, making Beastmaster a fun option. While I prefer the wolf for its Pack Tactics, you could play a goblin wolf-rider, or panther-rider, or boar-rider.
What is a Goblin?
One thing that entices me so much about D&D is the rich history behind many of its monsters. And goblins have a rich history. The term “goblin” originates from European folklore, probably around the 14th century. When players think of goblins, they typically think of the vilified creatures that live in the Misty Mountains in The Lord of the Rings. But there is much lore that comes before Tolkien.In medieval times, goblins were seen as “nasty little creatures with a human demeanor, but much smaller in size and with horrific, deformed faces.”1
A goblin meant any of the grotesque, small, Fay creatures. Their name carried various meanings in different cultures, including ugly fairy, devil, mountain sprite, wicked sprite, and rogue.
While D&D differentiates between goblins and kobolds, in Germanic folklore, goblins are known as kobolds.
Many house goblins were known to stir up trouble, like banging on pots and pans, knocking on doors and walls, rearranging items so they cannot be easily found. Just like a house elf in Harry Potter, some goblins were known to perform household chores.
Unlike in D&D, British and German lore tells of goblins with magical powers and the ability to shape shift into animals. Goblins are known to be malicious and greedy. In Welsh folklore, goblin kings ruled fairy lands.
Asian countries including Korea and Japan also have folklore related to goblins. Korean goblins called dokkaebi are known to create mischief and play tricks on people. They may even challenge travelers to a wrestling match known as ssireum. Dokkaebi are known to reward good people and punish the wicked. They may also have a magical mallet that can turn things into gold and change the fortune of others.
Scotland regards goblins as a subgroup of fairies and may be known by many names such as Puca, Bogies, Boggarts, Bogles, the Welsh Coblynau, Irish Clauricaun, and Dullahan. Tiny goblins called bogeys hide in dark corners and scare children. These tales may be the origins for tales of the Bogeyman and the Boggart in Harry Potter. These tales about goblins cautioned children to behave and avoid misbehavior.
By the late 1800s, many writers began to write about goblins. These include:
- George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin.
- Chritina Rossetti’s poem Goblin Market
- Chales Dickens’ The Story Of The Goblins Who Stole A Sexton
In many of these stories, goblins are portrayed as nocturnal creatures who were deceptive, malicious and grotesque.
Later, Tolkein presents the goblins many of us are most familiar with, the creatures that shun the sun and dwell in the depths, serving a dark and mysterious master who pulls the strings from a distance.
And that brings us to goblins in 5e D&D…
All About the 5e Goblin
In 5e, goblins are small humanoids, usually between 3 to 4 feet tall. They typically have green or yellow skin with sharp teeth and large pointy ears. They are known to be cunning and resourceful, and live in dark caves and dungeons.
Types of Goblins
There are many types of goblins in 5e. Let’s talk about a few different types of goblins, along with some goblin variants.
Blue Goblins
Also known as Mind Goblins, some people wonder if this subtype of goblin still exists in 5e.
Officially, it doesn’t.
But back in 3.5, Blues were a goblinoids with psionic power. A user over at GMBinder created a monster folio the Blue Goblin to bring DMs up to speed for 5e. It’s a great homebrew addition to your game.
Need some help homebrewing a Blue Goblin? Nerdarchy has some suggestions.
Goblin King
If you’ve read the Hobbit, or seen the movie, then you’ll appreciate the work Andrew Cawood put into creating a homebrew Goblin King for 5e DMs.
If you’re looking for some inspiration for an underground goblin town to set the scene for your game, check out this scene from the Extended Edition of the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
I’m sure your players will look forward to hearing your rendition of “Goblin Town” (hint: I prefer the classic version myself).
“Clap! Snap! the black crack! Grip, grab! Pinch, nab! And down down to Goblin-town You go, my lad! Clash, crash! Crush, smash! Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs! Pound, pound, far underground! Ho, ho! my lad! Swish, smack! Whip crack! Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat! Work, work! Nor dare to shirk, While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh, Round and round far underground Below, my lad!”
~J.R.R. Tolkien (2012). “The Hobbit”, p.39, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Goblin Sharpshooter
The goblin sharpshooter is actually a take away from 4th edition D&D. If you play Magic the Gathering, you may also remember Goblin Sharpshooter as a fun card from Onslaught.
It’s pretty easy to homebrew this D&D monster into your campaign. Here’s how…
Utilize the goblin stat block as normal for 5e, but include a few changes. When your goblin sharpshooter misses with a ranged attack, allow it to stay hidden. Have your goblin sharpshooter deal an extra 1d6 damage when it has advantage, just like a low level rogue.
Now you’ve got a goblin sharpshooter to take aim at your PCs from a hidden location.
Goblin Soldier
The goblin soldier is homebrew goblin who has been trained in martial combat. As such, they have the fighter’s “Action Surge” ability, allowing them to take an extra action once per day.
Goblin Wizard
If you’re looking for a goblin that casts some spells, you’ll need to homebrew it. Luckily, others have done this for us, like this CR 2 goblin wizard. Have fun!!
Goblin Boss
This homebrewed goblin makes for some fun shenanigans on the battlefield with its “Redirect Attack” ability, allowing it to change places with another goblin near it when it’s attacked and make that goblin the target of the attack instead.
Goblin Variants
Goblin variants in D&D include:
Goblin 5e Stat Block
Let’s take a look at the Goblin 5e stat block:- Armor Class: 15
- Hit Points: 7 or (2d6)
- Speed: 30 ft.
- Initiative: +2
- Skills: Stealth +6
- Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 9
- Challenge: ¼ (50 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
- Abilities:
- Nimble Escape: Goblin can disengage or hide as a bonus action on each turn.
- Actions:
- Scimitar: Melee Weapon Attack: +4, reach 5ft. Damage: 5 or 1d6+2 slashing
- Shortbow: Ranged Weapon Attack: +4, range 80/320 ft., Damage: 5 or 1d6+2 piercing.
- Armor Class: 17
- Hit Points: 21 or (2d6)
- Speed: 30 ft.
- Initiative: +2
- Skills: Stealth +6
- Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 9
- Challenge: 1 (200 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
- Abilities:
- Nimble Escape: Goblin can disengage or hide as a bonus action on each turn.
- Actions:
- Miltiattack: two scimitar attacks, the second one with disadvantage
- Scimitar: Melee Weapon Attack: +4, reach 5ft. Damage: 5 or 1d6+2 slashing
- Javelin: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4, reach 5ft or range 30/120 ft., Damage: 5 or 1d6+2 piercing.
- Reactions:
- Redirect Attack: When a seen creature targets the goblin boss with an attack, the goblin boss swaps place with another goblin within 5 feet of it, this goblin becomes the target of the attack.
Strategy & Tactics
Let’s talk goblin strategy and tactics.
“They’re a threat when well unified.” ~Dragon’s Dogma
New DMs may be wondering: How many goblins can I throw at my party of four 1st-level players before one of them dies?
According to DnDBeyond’s encounter builder, for a 1st level party of four adventurers, one goblin is trivial, two goblins are easy, three goblins are hard, and four goblins are deadly.
So if you throw 3-4 goblins at your 1st-level party, expect at least one of them to go down.
If your party fails their perception check(s) and the goblins are using a trap, and the goblins get in a surprise round, don’t be surprised if you’re looking at a TPK (sadly, I’m speaking from experience on this one…)
Goblins Like to Use Traps
As cunning creatures, goblins will often set up ambushes, utilizing traps made from surrounding resources.
From caltrops to pit traps, buckets over doors to hammers on a trip wire, goblins love to set traps for unwary adventurers.
Just keep in mind, even a setback at 1st level can be deadly to a group of 1st-level characters.
I suggest you learn from my mistakes and keep this in mind when you’re planning your goblin encounter for your players.
Here’s the trap mechanics for 5e. Have some fun creating your goblin trap. If you need some help, check out these ideas.
Trap Danger | Save DC | Attack Bonus |
Setback | 10–11 | +3 to +5 |
Dangerous | 12–15 | +6 to +8 |
Deadly | 16–20 | +9 to +12 |
Character Level | Setback | Dangerous | Deadly |
1st–4th | 1d10 | 2d10 | 4d10 |
5th–10th | 2d10 | 4d10 | 10d10 |
11th–16th | 4d10 | 10d10 | 18d10 |
17th–20th | 10d10 | 18d10 | 24d10 |
Guerrilla Tactics
5e Goblins have a great ability called “Nimble Escape.” Use this to your party’s demise. Goblins can disengage or hide as a bonus action. This means that goblins can start out hidden for a surprise round, attack, move, and bonus action hide.
In my experience, a group of four goblins is more than enough to take down a player on the first round of a surprise round. Goblins do some wicked damage and a crit on a hit will likely kill a 1st-level player outright. When four goblins are rolling with advantage from being hidden, chances are pretty good one of them’s gonna crit…
If you put some time and effort into creating the proper terrain for “Nimble Escape” to truly work to your goblins’ advantage, it can be deadly to even a higher level party. A DnDBeyond user named Tim cautions that “3-4 goblins can easily take out an entire party by hiding when the DM has them ambush a 3rd or 4th level party in an area where the goblins can use their hide ability…”
Goblin Horde
Never underestimate the power of the horde. Goblins will use their swarming numbers to overpower their enemies.
“Even in numbers, a weakling is a weakling still” ~Dragon’s Dogma
As a DM, small bands of goblins (4 or more) can prove a deadly force for lower level parties 1-3rd. However, depending on positioning, a low level PC with Thunderwave, Burning Hands, or another AOE spell could wipe out a band of goblins easily.
Hordes of goblins can still be used to tactically challenge mid level parties by using traps, ambushes, and employing tactical positioning of various group swarms to overwhelm the party, forcing them to think tactically (don’t forget to position them in a way that they won’t all die from a fireball or two). If your party doesn’t have an AOE spell, it’s probably gonna be a tough encounter.
For a party of four 5th-level adventures:
- Use eight (8) goblins for an easy encounter
- Use twelve (12) goblins for an medium encounter
- Use fifteen (15) goblins for an hard encounter
- Use twenty-two (22) or more goblins for an deadly encounter
For a party of four 10th-level adventures:
- Use twenty-three (23) or fewer goblins for an easy encounter
- Use twenty-four (24) to thirty-seven (37) goblins for an medium encounter
- Use thirty-eight (38) goblins or more for an hard encounter
- Use fifty (50) or more goblins for an deadly encounter
You might also consider adding some additional monsters to the mix at higher levels to provide a challenge. For example: a medium encounter for a party of four 5th-level adventurers might be 6 goblins riding wolves, with two hobgoblins.
Want to make the encounter deadly? Add two dire wolves as mounts for the hobgoblins.
Ecology
Goblins live in tribal society led by the smartest or the strongest among them, typically a goblin boss or a hobgoblin.
They usually have violent and chaotic communities focused on survival and raiding.
Goblins are scavengers, adept at using whatever resources around them to their advantage.
But don’t be afraid to challenge convention in your game…
I once had my PCs encounter a sophisticated town filled with goblins in suits and ties with impeccable manners, all thanks to a local wizard who was working to “domesticate” them. Plot twist: yeah, that wizard was actually evil and was selling the domesticated goblins as indentured servants to local town folk, much like the house elves in Harry Potter. Once discovered, it was up to the PCs to save them…
Then a few adventures down the road, those goblins came back to return the favor. That’s right, goblins have no master. Goblins are free and goblins have come to save Harry Pot…er hem…I mean, the adventuring party and their friends!
Enough about my adventures, let’s talk about goblin treasure…
Treasure
Goblins will raid and loot anywhere and anything that will have food, supplies, and valuables. This includes travelers and caravans, various settlements such as small villages and towns, tombs and crypts, mines and quarries.
Goblins often hide their treasures within their lair so it won’t be obvious like a dragon hoard. Some loot from raids such as simple goods and valuables may be in a communal area for the tribe’s use.
From these raids they can acquire a variety of treasures:
- Coins – from copper to small amounts of gold
- Gems and jewelry
- Basic weapons and armor
- Small pieces of art and figurines
- Carvings and decorations made from bone, wood, or stone
- Trade goods from caravans
- Minor magical items such as potions, scrolls, and small trinkets
Goblin Lore
In the Forgotten Realms, goblins worship Maglubiyet the Mighty One, the Lord of Depths and Darkness, the god of war and rulership, as their primary deity.
Goblins worship out of fear, as they believe when they die in battle their spirits join the rankings of their army on Acheron.
Magleby’s influence fosters goblin’s aggressive and warlike nature, encouraging goblins to conquer and dominate other creatures.
List of D&D Campaigns with Goblins
If you’re looking for goblin campaign ideas, some of the users over at EnWorld posted a thread to help you out. There’s another post on D&D Beyond that might have some good ideas for you too. Here are some D&D campaigns that prominently feature goblins:- Lost Mine of Phandelver (LMoP): Goblins serve as the primary antagonists in this adventure.
- Ghosts of Saltmarsh (GoS): Some of these adventures feature goblins as part of the threats players face
- Out of the Abyss (OotA): This campaign includes various goblinoid threats as the party navigates the dangerous subterranean realm of the Underdark.
- Storm King’s Thunder: Players may encounter goblins among the many giant-led threats across the Sword Coast.
- Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen (DSotDQ): The Dragon Queen’s army may contain goblins.
- Hoard of the Dragon Queen (HotDQ): This campaign includes encounters with goblins among the minions of the Cult of the Dragon.
- Labyrinth of the Goblin Tsar: This boxed set focuses on goblins, featuring a labyrinth ruled by a Goblin Tsar.
- Princes of the Apocalypse: This Elemental Evil campaign includes goblins serving the various elemental cults.
- Tales from the Yawning Portal: Several of these adventures, like The Forge of Fury, include goblins as foes.
Scales of War
The “Scales of War” adventure path for Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition is a great adventure that features goblins. In the Scales of War campaign, goblins play a significant role as one of the primary antagonistic forces. The goblins, along with hobgoblins and other creatures, have allied themselves with the mysterious undead forces that occupy Rivenroar. The goblins in this adventure are depicted as cunning and dangerous, contributing to several challenging encounters. If you like the idea of converting 4e campaign to 5e, there are a couple good resources we found. First, this forum post goes through the entire Scales of War campaign. Next, this blog chronicles one DMs experience converting 4th edition adventure path into 5th edition.Goblin Tokens
Here are some free goblin tokens
If you don’t mind spending some money, there are some paid tokens too:
- Digital tokens 15 ($1)
- Creature Pack 14 (features goblins)
- Roll 20 36 Animated Tokens
You can always make your own tokens using something like Midjourney and Token Stamp.
Goblin FAQ
You have questions about goblins...I have answers…
What should I name my goblin?
Don't like any of those? Here are 100 goblin names for your consideration.